What makes you think you’re WORTHY of that knowledge anyway?
You think you can just waltz into the Demon Slayer Corps with the D.S.C. symbol haphazardly painted on the back of your thrift store jacket and demand to know the most powerful beings in the Demon Slayer universe on a FIRST NAME BASIS?
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?
You OBVIOUSLY are new around here because, if you weren’t, I’m pretty sure you’d think twice about poking around in the business of some irascible killers for hire—who would slice your eyelids off as soon as look at you. Why are they so dangerous? Because if one wants to be effective at killing maniacal monsters, one must be themself. Don’t expect these demon slayers to play nice just because you asked.
You PERSONALLY must be a little maniacal to have the gumption to bash the D.S.C. door down and demand to know everyone’s Christian names. On second thought… maybe there’s a place for you at the Corps yet …
Alright, kid. Ya got moxie. I’ll tell you the names of the Hashira and what they mean, but don’t go spreading it around. We don’t want the wrong kind of people (i.e. the flesh-eating, sun-shunning, undead kind) knowing everyone’s government name. Capiche?
So with the help of a very kind Redditor, I’m gonna give you a direct translation of their names from Japanese.
Tengen Uzui – The Sound Hashira
Look at this flamboyantly stylish man! His grace! His beauty! His lack of a hand after the Entertainment District Arc! To hear him described he sure sounds like a demon slayer, and you’d be right! Sound is totally his thing! Tengen is able to use sound-based abilities in order to separate demons’ heads from their bodies. I’m talking running at supersonic speed, sword slashes that release sound waves, and even the ability to understand the “rhythm” of the battle and follow its flow as a musician would follow a piece of music. The first character of his last name means 宇 “eaves” or “heaven” while the second means 髄 or “marrow” (that thing that bones have inside them). The first character of his first name 天 also means “heaven” and the second 元 means “beginning” or “origin”
Shinobu Kocho – The Insect Hashira
Look at this lady’s big, dark and adorable bug eyes! Not a pupil in sight! Or maybe it’s ALL PUPIL? I don’t know which is freakier! She’s fast on her feet and hard to swat, much like any bug. She also is capable of using all sorts of deadly poisons to incapacitate her foes like some sort of stinging insect. Bugs are poisonous, right? Look at spiders! Wait they’re arachnids. I mean scorpions! Wait those are arachnids too. BEES. THOSE GUYS ARE POISONOUS. She’s like a bee! Totally adorable but will stab you!
Her last name 胡蝶 is an antiquated way to say “butterfly” and her first name (which doesn’t use kanji) can mean “to hide oneself”, “to endure” or “to be nostalgic for”.
Kyojuro Rengoku – The Flame Hashira
This man’s mane is fiery enough. One would think it’s a dye job from a fancy Manhattan salon, but it’s actually hereditary. His whole family has hair like this! They also all have fire-based powers. Kyojuro’s dad was the former Flame Hashira, and his son later took up the mantle. Kyojuro is able to use breathing techniques that create massive pillars of fire to incinerate his foes. His heart also burns brightly with the fire of a HERO.
His last name 煉獄 means “kneading over fire” and “prison”, the two of which, when combined, mean “purgatory”. His first name 杏寿郎 means “apricot”, “longevity” and “son”.
Mitsuri Kanroji – The Love Hashira
Mitsuri arguably called her the Love Hashira because she is the most fan-servicey character on the show. The creators just LOVE drawing her stepping naked out of hot tubs and flouncing around in loose-fitting clothes. Pervs. However, she is also able to use her uncomfortably lusted-after body to rip demons to shreds. Her muscles are EIGHT TIMES more dense than the average person’s, making her OBSCENELY STRONG. She doesn’t even need a sword! She just needs her bare hands and demons are done.
Her last name 甘露寺 means “sweet”, “dew” and “Buddhist temple” while her first 蜜璃 means “honey” and “glassy”.
Obanai Iguro – The Serpent Hashira
The emo edgelord Hashira! Unlike the other Hashira who decided to pick a regular element like fire or water or air to draw their power from, this guy said “f*ck it we ball” and picked SNAKES. His sword whips around like a snake, just like the ACTUAL SNAKES HE CARRIES.
The first character of his last name 伊黒 doesn’t have a meaning but the second means “black”. His first name )小芭内 means “small”, “banana” and “inside”. And we all know that bananas are the snakes of the fruit family.
Gyomei Himejima – The Stone Hashira
This man isn’t a man at all. He’s a stone-cold rock. A boulder. A mountain. He is by far the strongest Hashira in the Demon Slater Corps. He’s also the most emotional. His stone powers make it so that his whole body is rock-hard, and his fists make feel like you just got punched in the face with a piece of granite.
His last name 悲鳴嶼 means “grieve”, “cry” and “island” while his first name 行冥 means “going/journey” and “dark”. It is also an alternate way to write the word “meditation”.
Giyu Tomioka – The Water Hashira
My man Giyu is able to use his Water Breathing technique not to breathe underwater, but to create currents of water from the slashes of his sword. He uses it to drench and drown foes: ruining hair, makeup, and outfits in the process. It’s demoralizing.
His last name 富岡 means “abundant” and “field” while his first 義勇 is a combination of “righteousness” and “courage”.
Muichiro Tokito – The Mist Hashira
Not exactly sure how Muichiro is THAT different from the Water Hashira, considering that mist and water are basically the same exact thing. But the creator swears there’s a difference so okay! I guess there is! This dude uses his “water adjacent” powers to make the vision of his foes hazy so he can get in there and cut some heads off.
His last name 時透 means “time” and “transparent” while his first name 無一郎 means “nothingness”, “one” and “son”.
Sanemi Shinazugawa – The Wind Hashira
And I thought the Snake Hashira was an edgelord … Sanemi has a seriously violent streak. He’s mean, cantankerous, and has an unhealthy amount of bloodlust. His entire family (save his brother) was killed by a demon when he was a little boy, so it’s safe to say the dude has some trauma. He uses wind-based powers to cut demons to ribbons.
His last name 不死川 is a combination of the kanji for “negative”, “death”, and “river” because he is … well … a negative river of death. His first name 実弥 means “truth” and “full”. You truth-fully do not want to mess with this guy.
(featured image: Ufotable)
